An Israeli court has upheld an order to extend the ban on Al Jazeera broadcasts within Israel for an additional 45 days. The Israeli government requested the extension, and the Israeli High Court approved it on Thursday.
According to the Tel Aviv District Court, the decision follows “a thorough review of both written and oral arguments presented by the involved parties.”
“…and after carefully reviewing a large amount of confidential material, it came to the conclusion that the request (warrants issued against Al-Jazeera) should be granted and that the extension of the validity of the orders as requested should be approved,” the court decision reads.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), Israel’s oldest and largest human rights organization, said the court’s decision to approve the orders against Al Jazeera “violates freedom of expression and freedom of the press,” and the group is considering an appeal to the Supreme Court.
“ACRI asserted that the reasons given for closing the channel indicate that freedom of expression is not merely compatible with state security but is an integral part of it. The government is attempting to control the narrative, dictating what we think, how we think, and who will provide information. This is a characteristic of non-democratic countries that disregard the security of their citizens,” ACRI said in a written statement sent to CNN on Thursday.
In early May, the Israeli cabinet forced the Arabic news channel to close its operations in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the time: “Al Jazeera reporters harmed Israel’s security and incited IDF soldiers. It is time to expel the mouthpiece of Hamas from our country.”
